Coin-controlled apparatus.



M. T. ASH.

COINVCONTROLLED APPARATUS.

APPLICATION man APR,10. 191s.

LMAQQQ PatentedNov. 27,1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET I.

M. T. ASH.

COIN CONTROLLED APPARATUS.

APPLICATKON FILED APR. up. 1916. 1L 541:8,4'c2 Fatented Nov. 27, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

UNIT @TATES ATENT @FFllQE.

MARSELIUS T. ASH, OF BUFFALO, NE'VV YORK, ASSIGNOB, TO BARRON GIFT COLLIER,

NEW YORK, N. Y.

COIN-CONTROLLED APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 2?, 191?.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARsELIUs T. ASH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Coin Controlled Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a coin controlled apparatus for use in vending machines which is so designed that the goods or commodity of any nature whatsoever to be dispensed by the machine cannot be dis charged therefrom unless a proper coin has been introduced into the machine and which is more particularly designed to prevent the operation of the vending mechanism when a ring-shaped token or washer is introduced into the machine for the purpose of attempt ing to fraudulently remove goods from the machine.

It is the object of this invention to pro- Vide means for accomplishing this purpose which are simple in construction, efficient in operation and not liable to get out of order.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal section of the machine showing the position of the parts when the same are at rest and in a position preparatory to beginning the discharge of goods from the machine. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the position of the parts when a piece of goods has been discharged therefrom. Fig. 3 is a detached side elevation of the bracket forming part of the machine. Figs. 4 and 5 are fragmentary vertical transverse sections taken on the correspondingly numbered lines in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken on line 6-6, Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 but showing the position of the parts when the coin carrier has been moved rearwardly part way after a proper coin has been deposited in the coin carrier. Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 showing the position of the parts when the coin carrier has been moved rearwardly part way after the washer or token having a central hole has been deposited in the coin carrier. Fig. 9 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken on line 99, Fig. 2 and showing the manner in which a coin is ejected from the coin carrier after a piece of goods has been removed from the machine. Flg.

10 is a side elevation of the coin carrier viewed from the side opposite to that shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

The coin controlled mechanism which embodies my invention may be used in connection with various kinds of apparatus for dispensing different goods such as confectionery, gum, postage stamps, liquids and the like and also to control the operation of picture machines, musical instruments and the like. In the particular organization of my invention shown in the accompanying drawings the same has been adapted for use in connection with a machine designed to deliver pieces of goods 1, such as gum or confectionery and in this organization the vending mechanism comprises an inclosing casing having an enlarged lower part 2 and a reduced upper part 3, an upright magazine t arranged in the upper part of the casing and adapted to contain an upright stack of pieces of goods 1 which are to be sold, and a horizontally movable ejector 5 which is guided in a suitable way 6 so as to be capable of moving back and forth across the lower end of the magazine and thereby successively engage the lowermost piece of goods and deliver the same into a chute 7 in front of the magazine, said chute extending from the magazine forwardly and downwardly to the top 8 of the enlarged lower part of the case where the same is removed by the purchaser.

Within the lower part of the casing is arranged a drawer or till 9 which is adapted to receive the coins, tokens, &c., introduced into the machine for purchasing goods and which may be secured by a lock of any suitable character to prevent unauthorized persons from gaining access thereto. The ejector 5 may be operated in any suitable manner but as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the same, for example. is operated by an upright rock lever 10- which is pivoted to swing in a vertical plane lengthwise of the casing of the machine, the upper arm of this lever being connected with the inner end of the ejector and the lower arm of the same being arranged in such position that it is capable of being operated by the coin controlled mechanism. It is to be understood, however, that any other suitable op crating member may be employed which is operatively related to the part to be actuated and to the coin controlling mechanism. In the drawing this operating lever or member is pivoted on an inwardly projecting lug 11 forming part of a bracket 12 arranged within the casing and secured to an adjacent wall thereof.

The coin controlled mechanism which actuates the operating lever 10 and which embodies my invention is constructed as follows:

13 represents the inlet or slot in the front part of the top 8 of the lower enlarged part of the casing through which the coin 50 or token is introduced downwardly into the machine. Underneath this top of the easing and arranged lengthwise on one side of the coin slot is a longitudinal upright retaining wall or plate 14.- which is prefferably formed on the bracket 12 so as to be stationary relative to other parts of the mechanism with which the same cooperates. On the opposite side of the coin slot and movable horizontally lengthwise of the ad jacent side of the retaining wall is a coin carrier 15 which is preferably guided by means of two perforated lugs or ears 16, 17 arranged on the back of the coin carrier and sliding on a horizontal longitudinal rod 1.8 which is supported at its opposite ends by lugs 19, 20 formed on the inner and outer ends of the retaining wall 14:. On that side of the coin carrier facing the retaining wall the same is provided with a coin pocket 21 which in the outer or foremost position of the carrier is closed on its side facing the retaining wall by the solid outer or front part of the latter, and in this position of the carrier the upper end of its coin pocket registers with the coin slot in the top of the casing. The inward or rearward movement of the carrier and the parts associated thereoutward movement of the coin carrier and connecting parts is effected by means of a spring 23 surrounding a shifting and guide rod 24 and hearing at its opposite ends against an abutment lug 25 on the bracket 12 and the inner end of the plunger, said rod being guided with its intermediate part in the lug 25 and connected at its front end with the plunger, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The outward or forward movement of the coin carrier is limited by means of the front guide lug 16 of the carrier engaging with the front supporting lug 19 of the retaining wall, as shown in Fig. 1. The inner or rear end of the rod is provided with a laterally projecting hook or shoulder 26 which is adapted to engage with the inner or rear side of the lower arm of the operating lever 10 during the outward or forward movement of the carrier and plunger and thereby cause the lower arm of the operating lever to be moved in the same direction and the upper arm thereof to be moved rear wardly or inwardly so as to carry the ejector behind the stack of goods in the magazine, as shown in Fig. 1, preparatory to ejecting the lowermost piece of goods in this magazine during the following operative movement of the lever 10.

Nhen a token or coin is passed through means of a discharging blade or rib 28 which 7 is formed on the lower part of the retaining wall adjacent to the lower part of the discharge opening and adapted to enter the lower part of the pocket in the carrier through a recess :29 in the carrier extending into the lower rear part of this pocket. This discharging blade is beveled on its outer side and at its front end, as shown at 30, 31 in Fig. 3, so

that when this blade enters the lower part of the coin pocket in the carrier it operates to wedge or deflect the coin out of this pocket and discharge the same through the opening in the retaining wall with which the coin pocket ofthe carrier at this time registers. As the coin or token falls out of the coin pocket and through the discharge opening in the retaining wall the same drops into the till or drawer which is arranged immediately beneath the same.

In order to prevent the introduction of a coin into the coin slot while the coin carrier is moved inwardly or rearwardly away from the coin slot an automatic closure is provided for this coin slot which uncovers the same when the carrier is in its foremost position and closes the same when the car rier is moved rearwardly. In its preferred form this closure comprises a horizontally swinging lid or shutter 32 which is pivoted at its rear end to the underside of the top 8 and capable of swinging with its front end into a position either across the coin slot, as shown in Fig. 5, or on one side thereof, as shown in Fig. 4:. The shutter is moved to its operative position across the coin slot by means of a spring 33 interposed between a flange 34 on the shutter and a pin 35 projecting downwardly from the casing top 8 and the turning of this shutter for uncovering the coin slot is effected by engagement of the front guide lug 16 of the coin carrier with the inner side of the flange 34 during the last part of the forward movement of the coin carrier, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4.

Means are provided for causing the coin carrier to be eoupledwith the lower arm of the operating lever 10 if a proper coin has been deposited in the pocket of the carrier but which will prevent such coupling if an improper coin or disk of material having a central opening, such as a washer, is inserted in the coin pocket in place of a proper coin. The preferred form of this coupling mechanism which embodies my invention and which is shown in the drawings is constructed as follows:

36 represents a horizontally swinging coupling lever which is pivoted on the inner or rear part of the coin carrier on that side thereof opposite to its coin pocket. The inner or rear arm of this lever is longer than the front arm thereof and this rear arm is provided at its extremity with a laterally projecting coupling nose or shoulder 37 which is adapted to engage with the front side of the lower arm of the operating lever 10 and turn the same in a direction for discharging goods from the magazine. On its short front arm the coupling lever is provided with a feeling finger or pin 38 which projects through an opening 39 in the carrier in line with the coin pocket thereof and adapted to engage with a coin or imperforate token which may be deposited therein. The coupling lever tends constantly to swing horizontally in a direction in which its coupling nose is moved out of line with the operating lever and its feeling finger moves into the pocket of the coin carrier, this movement being effected preferably, though not necessarily by means of a spring 40 interposed between the long inner arm of the coupling lever and an abutment lug 41 formed on the adjacent inner or rear part of the carrier, this spring being retained in place by means of a pin 42 arranged on the long arm of the coupling lever and projecting through the spring 40 and into an opening 48 in the abutment 41 as shown in Figs. 69.

On that side of the long arm of the coupling lever opposite to the coupling nose thereof this arm is provided with a cam 44 which during the last part of the outward or forward movement of this lever with the carrier and associated parts engages its high part with a stationary abutment 45 for the purpose of causing the long inner arm of the coupling lever to be turned horizontally in a direction for bringing the coupling nose into line with the operating lever 10 and withdrawing the feeling finger on the short arm of the coupling lever from the coin pocket of the carrier, as shown in Figs. 1 and 6. This abutment preferably consists of a pin projecting downwardly from a lug 46 formed on the adjacent part of the bracket 12, as shown in Fig. 1.

If the proper coin is deposited through the coin slot into the pocket of the carrier and the latter is moved forwardly by applying finger pressure to the plunger 2:2

the cam 44 of the rear arm of the coupling lever during the first part of this inward movement of the same with the carrier will move bodily away from the abutment 45 this being due to the engagement of the feeling finger with the coin in the pocket against which it is pressed by means of the spring 40, the coin at this time engaging the inner side of the retaining wall 14, as shown in Fig. 7. It follows from this that as the carrier and coupling lever continue their inward movement in this position the coupling nose will be retained in line with the operating lever 10 and engaged with the latter, as shown in Fig. 7 and remain in engagement therewith during the balance of the inward stroke of the carrier, as shown in Fig. 9, so that the ejector will be operated for discharging a piece of goods from the magazine, as shown in Fig. 2.

During the last part of the inward movement of the carrier the coin in the pocket is brought in line with the discharge opening in the retaining wall 14. Inasmuch as the coin is now unsupported on that side opposite the pocket the pressure of the spring 40 against the inner arm of the coupling lever causes the feeling finger to push the coin out of the pocket and through the discharge opening of the retaining wall and at the same time the nose of the coupling lever is disengaged from the operating lever 10.

Inasmuch as the coin at times is liable to stick in the coin pocket it is desirable to engage the feeling finger therewith by a blow or sharp impact and for this purpose the coupling lever 36 is provided on its long arm outwardly from the cam 44 with an additional cam 47 having a high part sub stantially the same as the high part of the cam 44, these high parts being arranged side by side lengthwise of this lever, as shown in Figs. 6-9. During the intermediate part of the inward or rearward movement of the coupling lever the cam 47 engages momentarily with the abutment 45 before the carrier completes its inward stroke and moves the coupling lever in a direction in which the feeling finger is discharged from the back of the coin and then quickly releases the coupling lever so that the feeling linger delivers a sharp blow against the coin under the action of the spring 40 the instant the coin is arranged opposite the outlet opening of the retaining wall, thereby insuring the delivery of the coin from the carrier.

If a coin having a hole in its center or an article of like construction, such as a metal washer i8, is deposited in the coin pocket of the carrier the feeling finger of the coupling lever during the first part of the inward or rearward movement of the carrier will pass into the central opening of such improper coin or washer under the action of the spring L0 against the coupling lever and thereby cause the nose of this lever to be moved out of line with the operat ing lever, as shown in Fig. 8, so that the ejector will not be actuated and no goods will be removed from the magazine. When such a token or washer reaches the discharge opening of the retaining wall the same will be ejected from this pocket to this opening bv the action of the ejector blade 28 which reaches into the lower part of the pocket and discharges the washer therefrom laterally. I

The space between the opposing surfaces of the coin carrier and the retaining wall is so determined that when a coin, which is too thin, is deposited in the pocket of the car rier and subsequently en aged by the feeling finger this coin will drop downwardly through this space and thereby prevent the operation of the goods ejecting mechanism. The narrow sides of the coin pocket in the carrier are contracted at the lower ends, as shown at 4&9 in Fig. 10, to such an extent that when a coin of proper diameter is deposited in this pocket such coin will be retained in this pocket until the same reaches the outlet opening of the retaining wall, but when a coin of lesser diameter is deposited in this pocket the same will not be able to rest upon the contracted portion of this pocket and instead will drop through the lower end of the same into the till so that the goods ejecting mechanism will not be operated when such an improper coin is deposited in the machine.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that this invention effectually safeguards a vending machine from tampering by persons attempting to extract goods therefrom by depositing therein a washer as has frequently been done in the past and also prevents the machine from being operated by other coins or tokens of improper dimensions, this object being attained by means which are comparatively simple in construction and not liable to get out of order.

I claim as my invention:

1. r coincontr,olled apparatus comprising an operating member which is operatively reliated to the part to be actuated, a-

reciprocable carrier having a pocket adapted to receive a coin and means for transmitting the forward novenient of said carrier to said operating member comprising a coupling member movably mounted on the carrier and having a shoulder adapted to engage said operating member and a feeling finger adapted to engage a coin in said pocket, a cam operating to shift said coupling member so that its shoulder is in line with the operating member in the foremost position of said carrier, and a spring for .slnttlng said coupling member into a posisaid recess and pocket and discharge the coin therefrom through said discharge opening in the rearmost position of said carrier, a coupling lever pivoted on said carrier and having a coupling nose on its inner arm and a feeling finger on its outer arm, a cam on said lever operating against a stationary abutment during the last part of the forward movement of said carrier for bringing said nose in line with said operating mem-' her, and a spring interposed between said carrier and lever and operating to shift the latter so that its nose is out of'line with said operating member during the rearward movement of the carrier when no coin is present in said pocket.

3. A coin-controlled apparatus comprising an operating member which is operatively related to the part to be actuated, a reciprocable carrier having a coin receiving pocket, a stationary retaining wall having a coin discharge 7 opening, a coupling lever pivoted on said lever and having a nose on its inner arm adapted to engage said operating member and a feeling linger on its outer arm adapted to engage a coin in said pocket, a cam arranged on the inner arm of said lever and having two high parts arranged side by side lengthwise of said arm, a stationary abutment adapted to be engaged successively by said high parts of the cam, and a spring interposed between said carrier and lever and operating to turn the latter for shifting its nose out of line with said operating member and causing. the feeling finger to discharge said coin from said pocket during the last part of the rearward movement of said carrier. V

4. A- coin-controlled apparatus comprising a casing having a coin inlet or slot, an operating member which is operatively related to the part to be actuated, a reciprocable carrier having a coin pocket in its side Leas es which is adapted to register with said ooin slot and to receive a coin through the latter I in the foremost position of said carrier, a

retaining wall arranged adjacent to that side of the carrier which contains said pocket and having a discharge opening through which a coin in said pocket may escape therefrom in the rearmost position of said carrier, a coupling lever pivoted on said carrier and provided on its innerv arm with a coupling nose adapted to engage said operating member and on its outer arm with a feeling fin-.

ger which is adapted to engage that side of the coin in the pocket opposite said retaining wall, said lever being also provided ,on its inner arm with a cam and said wall being provided with a stationary abutment which is engaged by said cam during the last part of the forward movement of said carrier and shifts said nose into line with said operating member, and a spring interposed between said carrier and coupling lever and operating to move said lever so that its nose is out of line with said operating member when said finger does not engage a coin in said pocket during the rearward movement of said carrier.

MARSELIUS T. ASH.

t'opies of this patent may he obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Gomznissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 8. 

